LUKE James admits he had no hesitation in returning to Hartlepool United – and the striker admits it feels like he’s home.

The striker emerged in Neale Cooper’s side of 2011, scoring a number of spectacular goals in League One and attracting plenty of admirers.

He eventually moved to Peterborough in a £500,000 deal in 2014, but the move to London Road never worked out.

After a number of loan moves, three months at Pools included in 2016, he signed for Forest Green Rovers last summer.

Even then he was loaned out to Barrow in the National League for the second half of last season.

Now he wants to make up for lost time and make an impact again at Victoria Park.

He was in the side for the weekend’s 5-0 reverse against Middlesbrough at Victoria Park, a week after scoring at Spennymoor, and admitted: "It's nice to be up North again. I knew most of the lads anyway and we have a good squad. The banter has been flying so there is a great atmosphere here.

"It's great to be back here.

"I want to do as well as I can for the team and hopefully we can have a successful season.

"I think my loan spell helped a couple of years ago, but I knew quite a few of the lads anyway.

"Coming into a team where you know a few people always helps, we have a good set of lads and training is very competitive.

"Everyone is pushing each other on and we can't wait for the first game.’’

Pools go to Maidstone on Saturday for the National League opener and James added: "The countdown is on, I just want it to start now but we've had a good test against Boro first.

"The competition for places is strong, you can't relax one bit and that's how it should be.’’

He netted against Pools on loan for Barrow last season, in a game Pools won in Cumbria and admitted: "It was a very strange feeling. It was an important game with both teams down there. Hopefully I can now score goals for us.’’

James had options to move elsewhere but returning to Pools was his preferred option.

"I knew the gaffer, a lot of the lads and knew the calibre of player here and the signings the club has made,’’ he admitted: "We have a good team.

"Being back up north helps as well, I'm living just 40 minutes from the training ground.

"In training every day you can see the competition for places in every position. It's a good place to be at the minute."

Pools have confirmed their squad numbers for the new season.

Captain Andrew Davies will be 15, Nicky Featherstone reverts to 16, with Liam Noble six. New striker Niko Muir takes ten, with James again wearing the number 33 shirt, the same he had when he broke into the Pools side in 2011.

Pools: 1 Scott Loach; 2 Peter Kioso; 3 Mark Kitching; 4 Louis Laing; 5 Carl Magnay; 6 Liam Noble; 7 Ryan Donaldson; 8 Lewis Hawkins; 9 Jake Cassidy; 10 Niko Muir; 11 Josh Hawkes; 13 Ryan Catterick; 14 Michael Woods; 15 Andrew Davies; 16 Nicky Featherstone; 17 Myles Anderson; 19 Kenton Richardson; 20 Aaron Cunningham; 24 Conor Newton; 26 Paddy McLaughlin; 28 Marcus Dinanga; 33 Luke James